Objective To analyze the characteristics of balance impairment in stroke patients over 60 years old. Methods This was a retrospectivecase-control study. Subjects were divided into two groups, normal control group and stroke group. Tetrax Interactive Balance Systemwas used to examine stability index (ST), weight distribution percentages, weight distribution index (WDI), fall index (FI), synchronizationsand spectrum analysis of postural sway under the condition of standing still with eyes open respectively in both groups. Results Frequenciesof spectrum analysis of postural sway in the stroke group were significantly higher than that in normal control group (P<0.05) exceptthe low frequencies. The weight distribution percentages of unaffected foot and WDI of the stroke group were significantly higher thanthe normal control group (P<0.05). ST and synchronizations in the stroke group were worse than the normal control group (P<0.05). In thestroke group, correlations were found between FI and ST, FI and spectrum analysis of postural sway (except the low frequencies), as well asbetween FI and synchronizations (P<0.05). Conclusion Stability index, weight distribution percentages, weight distribution index, synchronizationsand spectrum analysis of postural sway are significantly abnormal in the elderly stroke patients with balance impairment. And theirfall index was found to be correlated to a variety of factors.

BACKGROUND: How to lessen neuronal necrosis to promote recovery of nerve function after ischemic cerebral injury? Cerebral ischemic preconditioning (IP) alleviates ischemic cerebral injury caused by re-ischemia to certain extent. It has been verified that sodium ferulate can lessen the incidence of neuron apoptosis after cerebral ischemia. Whether does sodium ferulate enhance the nerve protection of IP brain to not?OBJECTIVE: To explore the protection of sodium ferulate allied with IP in cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury.DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal experiment was designed.SETTING: Neurological Surgery Department of 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College, Department of Physiology of Jiangxi Medical College, Institute of Urinary Surgery of Jiangxi Medical College.MATERIALS: The experiment was perforned in Laboratory Room of Neurological Surgery Department of 2nd affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College from May 2001 to April 2002, in which, 85 Wistar male rats were employed, mass weighted varied from 250-300 g.METHODS: The rats were randomized into 4 groups: ① The control without ischemia (10 rats): Vertebral artery was ligatured bilaterally and common carotid artery was not clipped bilaterally. ② The control with ischemia (25 rats): Vertebral artery was ligatured bilaterally for 48 hours and common carotid artery was clipped for 10 minutes. ③ IP group (25rats): Vertebral artery was ligatured bilaterally for 48 hours and common carotid artery was clipped for 2 minutes, and 24 hours later, the common carotid artery was clipped again for another 10 minutes. ④ Sodium ferulate allied with IP group (Allied group) (24 rats): After IP, the common carotid artery was clipped again for 30 minutes and sodium ferulate (200 mg/kg)was injected intravenously from tail. The control without ischemia was subdivided into two groups of 2 days and 7 days after reperfusion respectively (5 rats for each one). The control with ischemia, IP group and allied group were subdivided into 5 groups of 6 bours, 12 hours, 24 hours,2 days and 7 days after reperfusion successively (5 rats for each one).The rats were sacrificed to collect brains at phase spots in each group.Coronary brain slice was collected 2.2 mm posterior to the optic chiasm and the effects of allied with was observed on neuron count and apoptotic cell count in cortex and hippocampal CA1 in cerebral ischemia reperfusion.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuron count and apoptotic cell count in cortex and hippocampal CA1.RESULTS: Totally 85 experimental rats all entered result analysis. ①Neuron count in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1: On the 7th day after ischemia, the counts in IP group and allied group were higher than ischemia control (268±8.5, 244±12.5, 135±5.6, P ＜ 0.01). ② Count of TUNEL positive cell in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1: The count in allied group was lower than that in IP group and ischemia control (12 hours:1.2±0.8, 15.5±2.1, 39.8±3.9; 24 hours: 1.8±1.6, 39.3±11.8, 191.3±19.1;2 days: 2.8±1.2, 68.3±13.6, 328.4±24.0, P ＜ 0.01), and that in IP group was lower than ischemic control (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: IP lessens apoptotic neuron count in ischemic region.Sodium ferulate allied with IP further intensifies such effect and provides the protection of ischemic reperfusion injury of brain.

Epicatechin content in Uncaria macrophylla Wall. was determined by RP-HPLC. As aresult, the epicatechin contents were 0.38％ in the hook and stem, and 0. 820％ in the leaf. Thus it seemedto be more worthwhile to produce epicatechin from the leaf rather than from the hook and stem.

Objective To evaluate the correlation of intrahepatic HBV DNA load with the HBV load in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)and the stage of fibrosis,grade of inflammation,level of serum ALT and AST.Methods Liver specimens were taken from 50 patients by percutaneous needle biopsy and divided into two parts:one was processed for histological examination,and the other was used for molecular biology analyses.HBV DNA load was measured with fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(FQ-PCR).The data of serum level of ALT and AST were collected.Results A high correlation between intrahepatic HBV-DNA load and serum virus load was found(r=0.77977,P

Objective To investigate the effects of BMI-1 expression inhibition by RNA interference on the radiosensitivity of esophageal cancer TE-13 cells and its mechanism.Methods The siRNA based on the sequence of BMI-1 mRNA was synthesized to transfect cultured TE-13 cells as BMI-1 siRNA group,a negative one was synthesized to transfect cultured TE-13 cells as negative control group (NC group),and untransfected TE-13 cells were named as control group.The expression of the BMI-1 mRNA and protein in TE-13 cells was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot,respectively.The cell proliferation and the radiosensitivity of TE-13 cells were measured by MTS and colony-forming assay,respectively.Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle and apoptosis.The expression of BCL-2 and BAX in TE-13 cells was measured by Western blot.Comparison between groups was made by analysis of variance.Results The BMI-1 siRNA group had significantly lower expression of BMI-1 mRNA and protein than the control group and the NC group (P=0.000,0.000).The proliferation of TE-13 cells in the BMI-1 siRNA group decreased significantly after irradiation (P=0.031).The colony-forming assay showed that the BMI-1 siRNA group had a significantly higher radiosensitivity than the control group and the NC group (P=0.000).After irradiation,the BMI-1 siRNA group had a significantly lower percentage of cells in G2/M phase than the control group and the NC group (P=0.000,0.000).The BMI-1 siRNA group had a significantly increased apoptosis rate (P=0.000,0.000),significantly reduced expression of BCL-2(P=0.000,0.000),and significantly increased expression of BAX after irradiation (P=0.000,0.000).Conclusions BMI-1 siRNA can inhibit the expression of BMI-1 gene in esophageal cancer TE-13 cells,eliminate the cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase,induce cell apoptosis after ionizing irradiation in vitro,and increase the radiosensitivity,which may be related to the regulation of the expression of BCL-2 and BAX.

Objective To explore how to improve the sensitivity and specificity of CT cisternography (CTC) examination.Methods The clinical data of 20 cases of CTC in detecting cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea were analyzed,and the influence of continuous dripping of fluid and the filling time of subarachnoid space upon the image quality were observed.Results Nineteen cases of active cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea were found with CTC,and the fistula sites were determined by CTC.Eighteen cases received operation which confirmed the fistula sites.One case was found with no active fistula site.According to the image of ethmoid sinus leaks results,7 cases had better image quality in 9 cases whose subarachnoid space filling time was longer than or equal to 10 min.One case had better image quality in 6 cases whose subarachnoid space filling time was shorter than 10 min.There was significant difference (P =0.0406).Conclusion To raise the positive rate of CTC,the position of active fistula should be maintained and keep the time between the injection and scan longer than or equal to 10 min,which help to get better image quality.

Objective To investigate the application of position vector in balance evaluation of stroke patients with hemiplegia.Methods The static balance of 30 healthy subjects and 30 stroke patients with hemiplegia was measured by the balance instrument when standing on a force plate with eyes' open.There were 10 patients tested before and after rehabilitation training.Results The position vectorgram of the healthy subjects showed anterior-posterior sway and the patients showed right-left or diagonal sway.The patients exhibited much longer value in position vector than healthy subjects(P<0.01).After rehabilitation training,10 patients showed the changes in position vector at six directions,and there was a significant difference compared with those before rehabilitation training(P<0.01).Conclusion The position vector is clinically valuable in balance evaluation and monitoring the effect of treatment.

Objective To investigate the influence of arsenic trioxide (AS2 O3 )in the vasculogenic mimicry (VM ) of HepG2 cells, and to preliminary clarify the possible mechanism of inhibition of AS2 O3 on the VM. Methods Themean inhibitory concentration (IC50 )of AS2 O3 72 h after treatment of HepG2 cells was calculated by CCK-8 assay.The HepG2 cells were cultured on 3-D Matrigel and randomly divided into control group, 1/2 IC50 AS2 O3 group and IC50 AS2 O3 group.IPP software was used to calculate the number,length and area of VM,and the expression levels of VM-related proteins VE-cadherin and MMP-2, apoptotic-related protein caspase-3 and proliferation-related protein PCNA were detected by Western blotting method.Results The IC50 of AS2 O3 was 10μmol·L-1 72 h after treatment of HepG2 cells.The number,length and area of VM in 1/2 IC50 and IC50 AS2 O3 groups were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.01);the number,length and area of VM in IC50 AS2 O3 group were also lower than those in 1/2 IC50 AS2 O3 group (P<0.05).Compared with control group,the expression levels of VE-cadherin and MMP-2 in 1/2 IC50 and IC50 AS2 O3 groups were decreased (P<0.05),and the expression levels of caspase-3 and PCNA had no significant change (P>0.05).Conclusion AS2 O3 can inhibit the forming of VM of HepG2 cells,which indicated that its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the expressions of VE-cadherin and MMP-2 .

Child ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Family Health ; Genes, Recessive ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Factors

Background Chemical crosslinking agent can be used to strengthen the intensity of sclera tissue,but the intensity of the sclera may be influenced by different crosslinking methods.Objective The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of collagen crosslinking on porcine sclera between whole-eye crosslinking method and scleral strip crosslinking method.Methods Whole-eye crosslinking or sclera strip crosslinking was performed on 70 fresh porcine eyeballs in five groups using 1％ genipin,1％ glutaraldehyde or PBS respectively for 40 minutes.After crosslinking,10 sclera strips with l0 mm×4 mm from the temporal lateral were prepared in every group for the stress-strain measurement using a Instron5848 microtester,and the other 4 scleral strips in each group were extracted for the thermal shrinkage temperature test.Results Biomechanical property test reveled that the elastic modulus value of sclera strips reduced by 70.0％-82.8％ in the whole-eye crosslinking method group compared with scleral stip crosslinking method group after treated with 1％ genipin ((8.98 ± 1.81) MPa vs.(10.85 ± 1.83) MPa,t =3.375,P =0.003)) and 1％ glutaraldehyde((12.78 ±2.91) MPa vs.(18.25 ±5.16) MPa,t =4.007,P =0.001)) ;The tensile stress of whole-eye crosslinking method group was 54.9％-90.1％ of scleral stips method group,showing significant decline after corsslinked of whole-eye in 5％,10％,15％ and 20％ strain conditions (all P ＜ 0.05).Thermomechanics test showed that the thermal shrinkage temperature was lower in the whole-eye crosslinking group compared with scleral stip crosslinking group after treated with both 1％ genipin ((68.8 ±0.9)℃ vs.(74.8± 1.3)℃,t=11.129,P=0.000)) and 1％ glutaraldehyde((73.3±0.9)℃ vs.(79.3±1.3)℃,t=11.112,P=0.000)).Conclusions Different crosslinking methods have an influence on the efficacy of collagen crosslinking on porcine sclera.Sclera strip crosslinking offers a better crosslinking intensity for selera.